A Certain Step
by rapunzells
Summary: In which Belle and Rumplestiltskin attend a Camelot ball.


Perched on a chaise in Rumple's workroom, Belle tuned out the sound of his creaking spinning wheel to read her book. The light of the morning sun illuminated the pages of the half-good romance novel that she read.

"Ever been to a ball?" His high pitched voice interrupted the calmness of the room, but when she looked up at him, he kept his eyes on his task.

"Of course." She spoke to his stiff leather covered back.

"Good," the spinning wheel slowed. "Good thing." He turned around and stood up in one swift motion. "Because I have not."

"What?!" Belle fit the string of gold she used to mark her page in the crease of her book.

He approached the chaise that she lay on. "What? Are you surprised nobody thought to invite the Dark One to their celebration?"

Belle sat up, swinging her legs under her. "Well, you seem like an important man."

He sniffed. "I've never been invited to a ball, but we're going to one tonight."

"We?"

"Yes." He played with the high collar of his jacket. "Tonight I need to sneak into a ball in Camelot and you are to help me fit in."

Belle stood, keeping about two paces away from him. "I'm not exactly the best person to go to if you wish to fit in." She smiled sheepishly. "That type of stuffy social gathering was never my thing. I can dance, though."

He wrinkled his nose. "Is there a lot of that?"

She nodded. "Do you know how?"

He shook his head, his eyes falling to the ground.

"I'll teach you, then!" She closed the space between them, placing her left hand on his shoulder. He stilled under her touch. She traced the pattern of his leather with her fingers, unable to feel the heat of his body through the thick layers. "Okay now take my hand."

His eyes shot up to hers, as if to ask if she really meant it. She nodded in encouragement. His hand clasped around hers, bringing it up to shoulder-level. She had limited experience with dance, but she's never had a partner whose hand fit around hers so well. She sucked in a breath. "Now put your other hand on my back."

He rested his hand ever so lightly on her blue work dress just under her hair.

Looking up into his eyes, she realized for the first time how close they stood. They hadn't been this close since the time he caught her falling off a ladder. Afterwards he put her back down on the ground, the two of them turning into stuttering fools barely able to look each other in the eye. Now, with their hands entwined, they stood close together. Belle never realized just how well Rumplestiltskin's stature complimented her own. He was the perfect height for her- everything lined up perfectly. For dancing.

She began leading him in a simple waltz, counting the steps out loud for him. He learned quickly. He only stepped on her feet twice, and after each time he'd apologized profusely. Once they got their feet into a rhythm she looked to his concentrated face. "The ability to carry out a conversation while dancing is important, too." She said.

His eyes snapped up to hers. "I think this is enough dancing for now, then."

They passed the rest of the day like normal, her ignoring her chores and him pretending he didn't notice. After a quick tea, they stood in front of the covered mirror. He snapped his fingers, and her blue work dress seemed to expand, growing heavier. She looked down to see a pale yellow dress not unlike the one she wore on her first day here, except with more frills and glitter. When she looked up, he wore a long royal blue jacket over a golden waistcoat.

"This is the only time I'm going to do this," he said, waving his hand to rid the mirror next to them of the fabric draped over it. She turned to look at her reflection full-on. She never cared much for vanity, but after months of not seeing her face, she was curious. She had to take in her image for she had no idea when she would see it next. Her hair had grown a considerable amount. She looked at Rumplestiltskin's form next to hers. He kept his head down to fiddle with the buttons on his sleeves, but her eyes picked up the way he scaly skin looked next to her own creamy complexion. His eyes sneaked up to glance at her face. When he noticed her looking at him he turned his eyes forward. "Obviously I'll need a glamor spell to appear like a man."

"You are-" He waved his hand, his golden skin clearing to make way for human skin. "- a man." He looked like any ordinary man. His hair lost its curl, hanging around his face in fluffy locks streaked with gray. His once reptilian eyes stared into the mirror, now a chocolate brown. Even his blackened fingernails looked neat and manicured. Taking her eyes away from the mirror, she looked to him standing next to her, gasping when she saw his curly hair and scaly skin once again. Her eyes went back to the mirror, but no, the mirror showed Rumplestiltskin as an ordinary man.

"Only you will see my true form; everyone else will see the illusion."

Belle studied his face through the mirror. His face appeared the same, with the same lines around his eyes and same pointy nose. With the exception of the pink skin, he looked like Rumplestiltskin. "Whose face is that?"

"It's no matter. Everyone except you and Maleficent will see the glamor spell."

Belle's mouth fell open. She turned to Rumplestiltksin. "Maleficent?"

He ran his hands through his hair. "Don't worry, if she tries anything with you tonight I'll have her head on a stick by tomorrow morning."

Belle sighed. "First of all that's not necessary in any situation. And second of all why must you meet with the woman who kidnapped me?"

"She wants to kill a prince but I am instead offering her a potion which will simply turn him into a fire-breathing beast."

"How thoughtful of you."

He smirked. "My foresight is spotty at best but I guarantee you he will be a man again within a dozen or so fortnights. Shall we go?"

She barely had time to nod when the floor disappeared from under her. When her vision cleared in front of her, they stood on a patio just outside a ballroom. Couples glided along the floor, too caught up in the atmosphere to notice Belle and Rumple peering into the window. "We'll sneak in there, act natural until I find Maleficent, then leave as soon as I'm finished with my business. Understood?"

Taking his right arm, she followed him into the lively ballroom. They fell into the dance like they'd been there all along. He held her a little closer than he had when they'd been in his workroom, but he didn't seem to notice it, his eyes scanning the room. "Do you see her?" She asked.

He shook his head. They followed the other dancers around the room, the lively music taking them around the dimly lit dance floor. For a moment Belle could pretend to be a real guest of the ball. Back before her betrothal to Gaston, she only attended balls to find a suitable partner. She long ago swore off enjoying dances. Belle never quite like the men she danced with, but she hadn't been dancing with Rumplestiltksin. Dancing so close, the two of them practically shared the same oxygen. Belle found dancing to be...enjoyable.

Right when the next set began, he stilled, his eyes freezing on a point behind her. "Just one moment, dear." Belle let her hand slip from his, watching as he shuffled past her to approach the dark sorceress looming in the corner. Belle found the refreshment table as he disappeared outside with Maleficent.

The Camelot refreshments made the food at any ball Belle ever went to look like scraps. She grabbed a small lemon cake, turning to look at the ballroom floor. For months it had just been her and Rumple in the castle. She hasn't seen so many people in the same place at once in ages. As she shoved the remainder of the cake in her mouth she felt someone tap her shoulder. When she turned around a tall man with blond hair smiled down at her. "Care to dance?"

She swallowed her lemon cake, feeling pinned down by his charming smile. "Sure."

Sliding his hand lower on her back than proper, he led her in a more complicated dance than she and Rumple engaged in earlier. "I've never seen you in Camelot before." His blue eyes leered over her.

"It's my first time here, actually." Belle smiled nervously.

"I see." He said. "And who are you?"

Belle could've mentally smacked herself for forgetting to introduce herself to her dance partner at the beginning of the dance. "Lady Belle of Avonlea."

"Prince James of the North Kingdom, pleased to meet you." He twirled her around, keeping her quite literally on her feet trying to remember how to dance with the skills she learned in her youth. More than once she caught him eyeing the exposed skin of her chest. She rolled her eyes, scanning the crowd for the familiar green skin and curly hair.

Near the end of her first set of dances with Prince James, she saw Rumplestiltskin's familiar face enter the ballroom once again. He scanned the crowd for her. When their eyes met she smiled a little larger than she meant to, causing Prince James to quirk his brow.

When the dance ended, she barely bid farewell to James before bouncing across the room to Rumple. He led her out into the cool night on the patio they arrived on. "Enjoy your dance with the young prince?"  
Belle shrugged. "Not particularly."

With a wave of his hand, they disappeared, reappearing back in the Great Hall in front of the once again covered mirror. Belle hadn't realized just how constricting the ball gown had been until he snapped his fingers, leaving them in the clothing they wore this morning. He sighed. "You mustn't lie to make me feel better. I saw the way you smiled during that dance."  
"No really!" Belle protested. "You make a finer dance partner. I'd love to dance with you again."

His lips quirked upwards. He turned to leave the room. As she watched his retreating form, she doubted he'd take her out on another deal anytime soon. But she found herself hoping for another dance with him.


End file.
